World Youth Skills Day, observed annually on July 15, is a United Nations initiative aimed at celebrating the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship. The 2025 theme, “Youth Empowerment through AI and Digital Skills,” underscores the urgent need to prepare youth for a fast-evolving, technology-driven future. In Nigeria, where over 60% of the population is under 25, AI and digital technology offer transformative potential. From education to health, agriculture to governance, digital tools are rapidly reshaping how services are delivered and how young people live, learn, and work. Yet, this transformation also comes with growing concerns around digital inequality, unemployment, and the skills gap between the demands of the global economy and the training many young Nigerians currently receive. World Youth Skills Day 2025 emphasizes the growing need for young people to acquire future-ready skills—especially in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology—to thrive in the 21st-century economy. As the nature of work continues to evolve, digital transformation presents both a challenge and an opportunity for youth empowerment, especially in developing economies like Nigeria. As AI tools become more embedded in daily life—through automation, data analytics, and digital platforms—young people must not only be users, but also creators, innovators, and ethical leaders in the space. However, the reality is that many Nigerian youth lack access to quality training, internet infrastructure, or supportive ecosystems to fully benefit from these shifts. This podcast provides a platform to reflect on: •The current state of youth digital readiness in Nigeria, •The potential of AI and digital skills to drive inclusion, productivity, and innovation, •And the collaborative efforts needed from policymakers, educators, private sector, and youth themselves to close the digital divide.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to another episode of the NESG Radio podcast. On
this day, we are celebrating the World Youth Skills Day
twenty twenty five and our team for the postcards today
is unlocking opportunities how AI and digital skills can empower
the next generation of youth in Nigeria. World Youth Skills
(00:25):
Day is observed annually on the fifteenth of July and
is a United Nations initiative aim at celebrating the importance
of equipping young people with skills for employment, descent, work
and entrepreneurship. This year's team Youth Empowerment through AI and
Digital Skills on the scores the urgent need to prepare
youth for a first evolving, technology driven future. In Nigeria,
(00:49):
we're over sixty percent of the population is under the
age of twenty five. AI and digital technology offers transformative
potential for medication to help agriculture to governance. Digit tools
rapidly with shaping our services are delivered and how young
people live, learn and work. Yet this transformation also comes
with growing concerns around digital inequality, unemployment, and the skills
(01:13):
gap between the demands of the global economy and the
training Many Nigerian young Nigerians currently received. Today, we are
so glad to be joined by two distinguished panelists and
youths themselves on this podcast today and first on the
list of our resource person, esmister Ebeniza Wikina, who is
(01:34):
the Politics and Governors Lead at the n Years, the
Community of Practice on Youth and is the founder of
Policy Shapers. He has over fifteen years of experience working
with more than forty organizations. He's the founder of Policy
Shapers and a convener of the River's twenty fifty Division,
a twenty five year development blueprint for River State. He
(01:54):
has previously worked at change dot org and led the
Reform ideal As campaign, which mobilized over eighty thousand supporters
and influence English language policy reforms in teititu universities worldwide.
He's a member of the World Economic Forums, as Per Network,
a Mandela Washington Fellow, and an alumnus of the Harvard
(02:15):
Kennedy School and the London School of Journalism. You're welcome,
mister Ebenezer, but today alarm me call you even welcome.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Even thank you, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Nest Is Victoria Ladipo, who is the founder of len
Politics Nigeria and also a member of the Politics and
Governance Ptematic Group of the uth Coop. She has extensive
academic background in the discipline, as supported by a bachelor's
and master's degree in political science and international relations. With
a profound interest in the complexities of policy formulation and politics.
(02:49):
A mission is to facilitate a more profound comprehension of
political intricasies and enable citizens to actively participate in process
in processes of governance. As part of our responsibility at
the Faith Foundation, Victoria supports the Research and Policy Division
through policy seminars dialogue sessions.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
To aid in the advancement of research and policy making.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Motivated by a desire to democratize political education, Victoria establish
Learn Politics Energy, an organization committed to furnishing individuals with
engaging and easily accessible material as the foster comprehension of
the inter cases of politics. Her objective with Learned Politics
eng is to provide individuals with information and abilities required
(03:31):
to engage in governors actively and to shape political conversation.
Welcome to the podcast, Victoria, and so good to have
you on here.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
So let's jump right into it. I will start with you, Victoria.
You work with Lend Politics Lnxuria and your work is
to simplify political knowledge for everyday Nanjurias. In what ways
can AI help make civic education even more accessible and
engaging for young people across social and educational divides.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Thank you very much for this question.
Speaker 5 (04:02):
Recently we've seen the improvement of tech and hair in
different facets of life and in different aspects of life.
But how can we use tech and hair to improve
civic education?
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Then we have what we call civic tech organizations.
Speaker 5 (04:18):
Now that are using technology to advance accountability, open governance,
and now we've come into the space with civic education.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
How we do this majorly.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Is having materials that are easily accessible to young Nigerians
so that they are able to take these materials and
use them in the ways they have to use them,
especially gaining more knowledge about politics and civic duties generally.
There is also the fact that AHI can help in
(04:49):
simplifying this information that have already been gotten and to
be able.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
To distill it easily for.
Speaker 5 (04:57):
Young Nigeriers to be able to learn more and at
the tip of their fingers.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Thank you Vitu, and let me come to you even
because I know that you've worked on global campaigns like
the Reform ILS that we mentioned.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
And correctly leading Rivers twenty fifty vision.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
How do you see digital tools transforming how young managerias
are vocated for and influence policy, especially at sub national levels.
Speaker 6 (05:24):
Yeah, no, thank you, Thank you so much giving for
that question, and thanks thanks Via as well for the
for the points that she she just made. I think
that the digital platform and AI technology generally can or
has made it easier for young people to organize. We
can now organize in a safer and in a more
constructive way. I mean, you spoke about the reform ILS
(05:45):
campaign that was purely digital campaign. We didn't at any
point need to see ourselves physically or mets for to
convene for a protest in a physical location. It was
purely done with digital to the petition was digital, the
signatures took digital, the data sets that we continue to
share with digital.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
So all of those things I think are kind.
Speaker 6 (06:04):
Of like an example of how it's the safer way
and despite it being digito, we're still able to make impact.
Just just as you said, with over thirty two universes
around the world, the UK, Canada US changing their policies.
I think I also makes it heah and the digital
space also makes it easier.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
For young Nangerians to get access to information.
Speaker 6 (06:26):
There's so many CIVICTA organizations like Victoria mentioned who are
making this more accessible. In fact, recently Budgets had launched
an AI two called BIMI. And what BIMI does that
BIM makes it easier for you to get access to
budgets and financial if if information. So the same way
you ask chur Gipity or any of the AI agents
(06:48):
about any kind of sorry take two, the same way
you ask Churgipity and any all these other AA agents
about any kind of information. BIM makes that possible for
you to ask about budget information or any other like
financial information from the from the public space. So yeah,
so so that's that's another example of how AA is
(07:09):
doing that. I think as Nigeria also like approaches the
so like the elections is in, there'll be a lot
of like promises and statements that would be going on.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
I think, yeah, it makes it easier for us to
fact check.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
Things right only the time where you had to have
like only dedicated organizations who will be able to fact
check things. I think now if everyone has access to
tools at their fingertips where if someone says something, everyone
can go fort checking. We can all go rid about
it now. Yeah, has organized information for us in a
way that it's easier for us to process it faster
and also like and also understand it's quicker as well.
(07:45):
So yeah, So I think these are some of the
ways amplifying our voices, making it easier for us to
organizing a safe space, also making information as well readily
available to us.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
It's interesting that you mentioned the issue of having a
safe space, but there's still some ethical delimma involving this.
And as someone deeply engaged in governance, what ethical consideration
should guide how young people leverage AI in political mobilization
and cynic engagement.
Speaker 6 (08:13):
Yeah, I think I think we need to lead by
example as as young people. Some many of us young
people have ideologies on how we think Nigeria should should be.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Right, we have fully engaged we're.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
Engaged in the past elections, to be engaged in the
in the coming elections, and also we should be engaged
in it to be in governance as well. I think
that I think that it gives us a unique opportunity
basically to ensure that we're speaking from a place of truths.
When we also do use AI information or things are
(08:46):
generated by AI, I think that we should also credit
it to AIR if these are positive things. I think
also we should also fight fake news. People shouldn't be
sharing content that is generally by AIR that is not
true for propaganda means, you know. So, so I think
as you need to actually like lead by example and
show show positivity. You mentioned like the subnational visioning project
(09:06):
that we're working on. So so in the Rivers twenty
fifty vision projects, we've used AI to imagine the future
in the sense that we looked at all the dramatic
areas that we're working on within the project, fifteen of them,
what would the future of Reversted be.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Like if you think about healthcare or education or you.
Speaker 6 (09:23):
Know security it is and we use AIR to like
imagine images and AIR has imagined what the city could
be like that statistic what hackles and the states in general,
and we're using those things now as advocacy tools to
advocate to say this is what we can be, you know,
like we need to like dream bigger as people. So
I think that's that's an example of one where where
we could use AI as part of policy advocacy as
(09:45):
well as you.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Thank you very much. But let me come to your victoria.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Many young people are interested in politics, but they see
very disconnected from policy making. How can digital skills help
close this gup and increase youth agency government?
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Thank you very much for people for young people that
are interested in politics. I'm just going to start from
the problem that we've had.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
The problem we've generally had is that when.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
We we're very young, when we're in primary or secondary schools,
there was not a very good There was not very
good response to understanding politics for young people, especially the
fact that the curriculum was not very realistic to carry
the depth of how much our politics is. And that
(10:33):
is why now that we've grown older, at tech has
become bigger, he hire is.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Now very much deemplate.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
We need to think of how we can use this
digital tools to help them to understand politics better. One
of the ways is we can have what sapp broats
that will make it very accessible because a very large
number of Nigerian you to use and use WhatsApp, and
we can use it.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
To simplify laws. We can use to see.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Black polices, explain citizens rights and making them more accessible
to disute. Also, we can think of using social media,
which is part of the digital toos short explainer videos
in the ways that young people can understand to help
them to.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Assess this education. Also, the other.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
Things that I would also think about is how we
can have like a height dedicated majority to civic pat
civic education so that we can you can just at
the top of their head, get this information where they
wanted and more so they there's also a very big
divide between those in them in the cities and the
(11:43):
so urban areas than those in the undeserved community. Also,
suits we probably have to do more in getting digital skills,
even though we are very very much active, very much
aware of what these digital skills look like and meant
to have to come into bridge that gapter is history
very much.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Victoria.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I know even mentioned that budget has something that helps
you track the spending.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Are there any AI.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Tools that you've seen in recent times that gives you hope?
Speaker 6 (12:18):
Yeah, I mean I think BMI gives me hope as well.
It's a civic tool that people can can definitely use.
I like that, Vicky, I just mentioned. Now that people
have access to WhatsApp, What's apposed has meta AI that
you can use to ask questions about basic things, and
it has great.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Great coverage. Twitter or ex has grow, you know.
Speaker 6 (12:38):
So I think one of the good things that we're
seen with AA is that it's quite democratized. Almost everybody
has their own platforms, so it's not like one central
person that has to give you all that info, which
I mean news room for a lot of like manipulation
and stuff. Now there's info everywhere, so you can try
very perplexity. There's so many of them out there right
that you can basically use. But I think what I
(13:00):
agree with Victoria own is that I think the role
the government has to play is in ensuring that people
are able to get the skills needed to like navigate
these platforms, because it would only keep getting more complicated,
Like this is the least basic form of that we're
ever going to see, Like over the next few years,
it will be embedded in everything that we do, like
(13:22):
how how we learn, how we travel, how.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
We everything basically, you know.
Speaker 6 (13:27):
So I think that's to ensure that our own like
young people and our own generation is not left behind
and the generation coming after us, right, I think the
government is to think about ways where we can embed
digital skills due to.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Learning and innovation into our curriculum.
Speaker 6 (13:44):
I think we've said this so many times, right, for
so many years, and I'm not sure why there's not
been as much.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
I think there's some action, but it's not just fast enough.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I know.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
The government also launched the three a M City training.
Speaker 6 (13:55):
That the Office of the of the Commissioner of the
of the Minister Sorry usual economy. Yes, so he had
learned that training, and I think that's that's a that's
a sort of like a prototype of what can happen
if you embed that into our schools. So instead of
having like intervention in programs, I think let's have it
as a more structural level. Let's have it in our school.
(14:17):
Let's let's teach it as part of like how we
teach green, white, green U one of the colors of Nigeria.
Let's teach them how people can use a you know,
in our in our primary school a basic education.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
I think that's one way.
Speaker 6 (14:27):
To ensure that our generation can actually catch up, because
what happens now is that you you finish school and
then you have to go build these skills as additional skills,
but if it's added to the school system, I think
is a more like sustainable way to be able to
build a generation that can use technology generally to advance
their causes and make their lives better.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Yeah, thank you very much. Even let me come back
to you. You've let policy dialogs at FIT Foundation. When
I was reading your profile, what trends do you see
in ut interest in public policy? And how can a
I to support many for pasion rather than just being
passive consumers?
Speaker 5 (15:03):
I'm sorry, Can you please repeat the question and friends
take it?
Speaker 2 (15:08):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
So my question to you is what trends do you
see in your interest in public policy? And how can
air to support meaningful participation rather than passive consumption.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Thank you very much. I think like because of the disconnect.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
That we've had between youth and politics and policy in
the verb in the long run that we've had, I
think the trends that I have genuinely noticed is the
fact that a lot of you are as interested as
to how much they can get at.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Hand, and how we explain this in the way that
take two.
Speaker 5 (15:47):
A lot of views are interested in to the extent
of how much information they have at hand. I say
this because we have to do a bigger work in
encouraging you to dig the part we A lot of
you believe on surface.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Level kind of education.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
So if you're not explaining deeply, trying to get them
to see, oh, this is how much public policy affects
your life. This is why you need to be interested.
Apart of people that have picked up interest, I think
like youthes are not there yet. If we're waiting it
on the scale of one two hundred, I would say
tety or thirty to fifty percent.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
But also we also.
Speaker 5 (16:29):
Need to call on order you too have developed this interest,
We already know what public up policy affects every aspect
of their lives.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
To help them explain.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
And I'll give an example when I was in a
discussion where I was in a discussion where I had
to explain to people that who look at the people
on this table.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
A lot of their youthes and they do not know that.
Speaker 5 (16:55):
All they need to do certain things and how they
can easily be involved in politics. And I was telling
I was telling the person by my side that at
the same time, there's also the fact that older people.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
They understand politics, they know it.
Speaker 5 (17:11):
For younger people, it seems like when you are bringing
your voice to the table, let's say, oh, what do
you know? How many years have you spent in injuria
or how many years have you been on head. We
also need to bridge that gap and we need to
have more intergenerational conversations that we encourage more youth to
be introduced and understand public policing. In long run, my
(17:34):
work with LEN Politics have understood that education is the
major thing that has helped us. Education is the major
thing that has helped people to understand, oh, why they
have to vote regardless of whether their choice becomes president
or not. Education is also why we are telling them that,
oh it's not just presidential elections that matter to you.
(17:55):
You have to think of governorship elections. You have to
state of legos, the local government election and all of
those things.
Speaker 4 (18:03):
Because a lot of you just think, oh.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Every four years, we are going to depose to vote
for just presidents. We are not thinking of who their
House of Reps and Members are, who their Senate members
are well, and at least a citizen of Nigeria is
represented by almost up to ten people from local to
federal levels. And we need more youth because we take
about seventy percent of the entire population.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
We need more youth to understand these things. But to
the extent of what you and in terms of trends,
I do not think.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
That you are doing the the power or the bigger
work to actually understand the in depth of public policy
or politics as you may, thank you.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Thank you very much, victorious indeed very critogether. People understand
that there are multiple representative of yours, so I should
not just be at the presidency, but right from your
local level, even from I'll ask you what systemic or
policy reforms do you believe are urgently needed to ensure
that low Nigerian youth is left out of this digital revolution?
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Yeah, yeah, no key.
Speaker 6 (19:11):
I mean I think first like like, just like I mentioned,
the issue of education is key. So I think embedding
digit literacy due to knowledge into our curriculum is very
key and I think it's very urgent. I also think
that one of the things that can hinder us from
from being able to access this digitu revolution generally is.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
That there are two core systemic issues.
Speaker 6 (19:33):
And I did the research in twenty seventeen on systemic
barriers for like digital inclusion in the South and I
went to like six ninited other states to be able
to do that. And I and again this has been
known that it's not like I'm saying anythink that is
near power and internet connection and internet connectivity are very
(19:54):
very key. Again, like I said, they have been strides
over the past year plus by the Ministry of Juice
Economy to ensure that there are more fiber optic cables
being being laid across the across the delta.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
But I think that we can do it a lot more.
They're still a huge disparity.
Speaker 6 (20:12):
A number of those people who are online and those
who are offline, especially in rural Nigeria. So I think
we need to think of power from a more decentralized way.
We're thinking of power now currently from like Ganji Dam
down to the states, but with the electricity at sign
I think when you start state government sub nationals need
to take up the challenge and start thinking about they
can generate power for their own regions. You know, I
(20:35):
think we need to we we those solve power. Then
we can't just start thinking of having our own data
centers because for you to really be able to like
challenge and build indigenerous AI things that will be able
to solve us problems, even like get more data that
we can use to help generative a I think, I
think you need data centers, but let's not go like
you need power first. Let's even fixed power first, because
(20:55):
that's really really key, and then power and then internet connectivity.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
You know. I saw in news recently that the government
of need.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
Arab Emirates got it's most of its citizens, the emerities,
access to giputy as part of their citizenship, and I
find I found it really funny because like, yeah, and
that's that's actually what the world should be thinking of,
right premiumpty as part of the citizenship.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
You know.
Speaker 6 (21:19):
So I think that we need to start thinking of
how we can get access to these platforms as as
as not just as like nice to have, but as
it must have. You know where the world is going now.
These are tools that will be embedded in all our lives.
So I think access to power, I said, digital inclusion
and edge education, access to the Internet and stuff like that.
The start thinking about how in the future build data
(21:41):
centers to ensure that we can have indigenous companies build airsumations.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
That would solve our own problems as the people.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Yeah, thank you very much, even and Victoria, what rules
should platforms like yours and platforms like policy shapers plain
preparing young people to engage not just in elections because
you mentioned that it's that's from the local level to
the federal level, but in everyday.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Decision making process.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
How can these young people engage using digital tools?
Speaker 5 (22:14):
Firstly, like I'm just even going to say, like policy shapers,
I know they have a policy a carton that they
do if annually and you know that you can be
involved in that. That way they can understand how to
still policy make policy recommendations that can be submitted to
(22:35):
the relevant MD for organizations like my name politics. And
we are going to majorly foster political education more. We
currently do this through creating courses for young Nigerians to
be able to understand like different aspects of our politics
from our history to present. Also more digital storytelling and
(22:59):
advocacy for inclusion, like Ebenezer said, inclusion of digital skills
into curriculum, expanding the curriculum and civic education for Nigeria.
And we also create programs and deliver.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
Sort of resources for young.
Speaker 5 (23:15):
Citizens to be able to understand their basic human rights
from We don't have to wait for every election season
before politics can be discussed, and we need to start
in vibility in the minds of young Nigerians that they
can demand accountability from the local government chairpersons, from their
state government chairpersons.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
There's also the fact.
Speaker 5 (23:38):
That Tracker by Budget now tells you how much They
tell you how much the federal location gets to your
local government. And I think that that's one of the
things we need to also teach young people how to
use civic tech tools to help them demand accountability, that
our civic tech tools can also help them to do better,
(24:00):
to become better citizens, to become active citizens. Organized workshop,
even if it's going to be fun things and the
way our SLF for exactle defenses will do and hold
of those things just for them to for information to
get to them at the level of their understanding and
before we know it would be able to create the
depth with desire in our political conversations and in our
(24:22):
roles as active citizens.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Even we had mentioned previously that there's an issue of
a divide between urban and rural center when it comes
to these digital tools. How do we ensure that digital
transformation is not just urban centered but actually reaches the
grassroots youth.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
In our country.
Speaker 6 (24:48):
Yeah, I mean that's a that's a very systemic question.
That's a that's a that's a very systemic question. And
I think again, yeah, I think we need to stop
thinking of central because like when we think of these people,
when I say, oh, you know, the ministry should donate
laptops to people, blah blah blah. But in you know,
thinking away from that kind of intervention, this mindset, I'm
often thinking a lot about what's the systemic way to
(25:09):
solve to solve the problem, thinking beyond just donating laptops
and stuff. Right, I think that governments at that level,
so local governments, as as the Victoria has said, local governments, states,
governments needs to start thinking of how they can actually.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
Solve these problems at the roots.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
And I've mentioned I think one of the things that
we've said consistently had been through the education space.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Right, we need to make sure that we can get.
Speaker 6 (25:31):
More, more more knowledge, more more content into our curriculum
that encourages these kind of skills.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Right, That's that's first.
Speaker 6 (25:42):
I think the second thing could then be I think
private sector organization also need to start thinking of how
they can as part of their corporate social responsibility in
these various communities. Many of them have industries, you know,
depots and stuff in various communities. Right, So if I
want to use the South for example of the Niger
Delta region, but it's all or any of the private
tycle companies that have all of these responsibilities, I think
(26:03):
they can start thinking of how they invest as well
in digital transformation and digital literacy and skills as part
of their SSR. Right, so if they are the ones
ensuring that they're providing platforms for these people in these
communities to get access to the skills, to these tools.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
I think it's a lot for me.
Speaker 6 (26:24):
I feel it's a lot more sustainables just thinking of
how we think put it in the budget line budget.
Don't need one hundred laptops or so so so place,
and then nobody really.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
Checks what happens after that.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
So I think just let's think, let's have a more
systemic and ecosystem like approach to doing that. We just
as we puturious said, we've been doing policy had thims.
I think we also need to encourage innovation as well
beyond just the policy space. I think even in like saying, okay,
would there be a competition this year, for example, with
for the year end, how do we address the challenge
(26:56):
of maybe like budgets, states budgets, you know, much focused
on the federal budgets. How do we get states to
get their budgets online? Can someone view an AI too
that people everywhere across the verial states can use to
analyze information around.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
State projects and advocate for this, you know.
Speaker 6 (27:12):
So, so I think just bringing it down to that local,
subnational level, I think that's the kind of thing that
we need to be able to do that. So yeah,
so yeah, so let's not just think about federal alone.
Let's involve private sectors, just as the NYSG always does,
and let's find ways to bring conversations that also take
us down to the rural level, not just keeping our
conversations as well.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
We didn't just the literates and the ur urban spaces. Yea.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Indeed, the years it does bring together the private sector
governed as is the private sector to see how to
create some of the solution in partnership with the government.
Thank you so much to both of you. I know
we're running a bit of a time. So I would
ask two more questions, and these two questions would be
to each of you to reflect on the two questions.
So the first one would be if we could code
(27:57):
design a national AI for governors, two keys for young people?
Speaker 3 (28:01):
What three futures would you prioritize?
Speaker 2 (28:03):
And why?
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Let me start with dictoria.
Speaker 5 (28:07):
I think one of the first features our prioritize is accessibility.
As much as we talk about you, we also have
you that are live people with disabilities among us. We
need to prioritize accessibility. Number two is simplicity. I found
recently that policy document may be very very hard to
(28:27):
understand if you don't have somebody that is talking to
you about those documents. So number two features are future
I'm going to prioritize the simplicity. And the third future
I'm going to prioritize is accessibility. As I said, but
this time, this time in terms of young people have
(28:48):
been easy access to eat, say for example, what are
bought Like We've said from the beginning of this conversation
that people can just be able to chat, Hey, what
can we what does this recent reform, I mean, what
does this recent policy talk about? And so and they
are able to get those at the tip of their fingers.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
Thank you, Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Victoria, even same question, what three futures would you incorporate?
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Why?
Speaker 6 (29:15):
Yeah, I think I think Vickas has said it's really
really well. I think I also add something that has
to do with our indigenous languages as well. I think
really recently as a conversation about like how much information
people can get in eurobuying, Ebo, in outside, but also
in all the other like minority tribes, the languages of
the minority tribes. So I think, yeah, I think something
(29:36):
that has to do with that indigenous making it accessible indigenously,
making sure that people also, like in our own languages,
not just in the general way that we commuicable, also
in our languages, because that's also a way we can
use to like preserve our history, preserve our culture, preserver history,
and also like preserve it for future generations, because that's
that's also one of the chalities that we're having as
(29:57):
a country.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
Thank you very much to both of you.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
My last question to both of you is, in one
sentence and as a way of your final reflection, what
does responsible digital citizenship mean to you?
Speaker 3 (30:11):
Let's start with.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Even this time. Yeah, no, responsible digital citizenship to me
means that I am one.
Speaker 6 (30:20):
Then there's stuff, but I am every day, you know,
contributing to conversations, efforts, projects that help or contribute to
the kind of country I want to live in, you know,
the country I want to live in as a person
and the country I want to live for my own child.
So that's for me, that's responsible due to citizenship. So
(30:41):
the conversations I engage in, the projects, everything I'm doing,
really the post I make, the comments, I make, the
things I say, everything should reflect.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
And contribute to the kind of country I want to
I want to.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
Live in and live for my child as well. Yeah,
thank you even bitter so.
Speaker 4 (30:59):
For me, thank you Ebnizia for that answer.
Speaker 5 (31:02):
Also, I think one of the things considers responsible citizenship
and digital citizenship would include using critical thinking on the
kind of tends I post, a kind of information I share,
how I protecting my privacy and the privacy of other people,
engaging constructively and also avoiding misinformation, and contributing positively to
(31:26):
the society majority online but also offline.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Thank you very much, Thank you very much, Victoria.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
As aiols become more embedded in our daily life through automation,
data and analytics, and digital platforms. Young people must not
only be users, but also be creators, innovators and ethical
leaders in the space. You've been listening to the ny
as You radio podcast on this day of the World
Youth Skills Day twenty twenty five. Thank you so much
(31:55):
to our distinguished resource person Venizia and Victoria for your time.
Has been an apps look, brilliant conversation with you, and
I'm sure there are so many lessons to pick from
this conversation and implement to make sure that no Nigerian
youth it's left behind even in this digital revolution. So
we'll come again next time. Keep being awesome, Happy word
(32:15):
your Skills Day. Thank you so much to be Nissa,
Thank you so.
Speaker 4 (32:18):
Much, Victoria, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
Thank you, thank you for having bye bye
Welcome to another episode of the NESG Radio podcast. On
this day, we are celebrating the World Youth Skills Day
twenty twenty five and our team for the postcards today
is unlocking opportunities how AI and digital skills can empower
the next generation of youth in Nigeria. World Youth Skills
(00:25):
Day is observed annually on the fifteenth of July and
is a United Nations initiative aim at celebrating the importance
of equipping young people with skills for employment, descent, work
and entrepreneurship. This year's team Youth Empowerment through AI and
Digital Skills on the scores the urgent need to prepare
youth for a first evolving, technology driven future. In Nigeria,
(00:49):
we're over sixty percent of the population is under the
age of twenty five. AI and digital technology offers transformative
potential for medication to help agriculture to governance. Digit tools
rapidly with shaping our services are delivered and how young
people live, learn and work. Yet this transformation also comes
with growing concerns around digital inequality, unemployment, and the skills
(01:13):
gap between the demands of the global economy and the
training Many Nigerian young Nigerians currently received. Today, we are
so glad to be joined by two distinguished panelists and
youths themselves on this podcast today and first on the
list of our resource person, esmister Ebeniza Wikina, who is
(01:34):
the Politics and Governors Lead at the n Years, the
Community of Practice on Youth and is the founder of
Policy Shapers. He has over fifteen years of experience working
with more than forty organizations. He's the founder of Policy
Shapers and a convener of the River's twenty fifty Division,
a twenty five year development blueprint for River State. He
(01:54):
has previously worked at change dot org and led the
Reform ideal As campaign, which mobilized over eighty thousand supporters
and influence English language policy reforms in teititu universities worldwide.
He's a member of the World Economic Forums, as Per Network,
a Mandela Washington Fellow, and an alumnus of the Harvard
(02:15):
Kennedy School and the London School of Journalism. You're welcome,
mister Ebenezer, but today alarm me call you even welcome.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Even thank you, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Nest Is Victoria Ladipo, who is the founder of len
Politics Nigeria and also a member of the Politics and
Governance Ptematic Group of the uth Coop. She has extensive
academic background in the discipline, as supported by a bachelor's
and master's degree in political science and international relations. With
a profound interest in the complexities of policy formulation and politics.
(02:49):
A mission is to facilitate a more profound comprehension of
political intricasies and enable citizens to actively participate in process
in processes of governance. As part of our responsibility at
the Faith Foundation, Victoria supports the Research and Policy Division
through policy seminars dialogue sessions.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
To aid in the advancement of research and policy making.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Motivated by a desire to democratize political education, Victoria establish
Learn Politics Energy, an organization committed to furnishing individuals with
engaging and easily accessible material as the foster comprehension of
the inter cases of politics. Her objective with Learned Politics
eng is to provide individuals with information and abilities required
(03:31):
to engage in governors actively and to shape political conversation.
Welcome to the podcast, Victoria, and so good to have
you on here.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
So let's jump right into it. I will start with you, Victoria.
You work with Lend Politics Lnxuria and your work is
to simplify political knowledge for everyday Nanjurias. In what ways
can AI help make civic education even more accessible and
engaging for young people across social and educational divides.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Thank you very much for this question.
Speaker 5 (04:02):
Recently we've seen the improvement of tech and hair in
different facets of life and in different aspects of life.
But how can we use tech and hair to improve
civic education?
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Then we have what we call civic tech organizations.
Speaker 5 (04:18):
Now that are using technology to advance accountability, open governance,
and now we've come into the space with civic education.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
How we do this majorly.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Is having materials that are easily accessible to young Nigerians
so that they are able to take these materials and
use them in the ways they have to use them,
especially gaining more knowledge about politics and civic duties generally.
There is also the fact that AHI can help in
(04:49):
simplifying this information that have already been gotten and to
be able.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
To distill it easily for.
Speaker 5 (04:57):
Young Nigeriers to be able to learn more and at
the tip of their fingers.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Thank you Vitu, and let me come to you even
because I know that you've worked on global campaigns like
the Reform ILS that we mentioned.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
And correctly leading Rivers twenty fifty vision.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
How do you see digital tools transforming how young managerias
are vocated for and influence policy, especially at sub national levels.
Speaker 6 (05:24):
Yeah, no, thank you, Thank you so much giving for
that question, and thanks thanks Via as well for the
for the points that she she just made. I think
that the digital platform and AI technology generally can or
has made it easier for young people to organize. We
can now organize in a safer and in a more
constructive way. I mean, you spoke about the reform ILS
(05:45):
campaign that was purely digital campaign. We didn't at any
point need to see ourselves physically or mets for to
convene for a protest in a physical location. It was
purely done with digital to the petition was digital, the
signatures took digital, the data sets that we continue to
share with digital.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
So all of those things I think are kind.
Speaker 6 (06:04):
Of like an example of how it's the safer way
and despite it being digito, we're still able to make impact.
Just just as you said, with over thirty two universes
around the world, the UK, Canada US changing their policies.
I think I also makes it heah and the digital
space also makes it easier.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
For young Nangerians to get access to information.
Speaker 6 (06:26):
There's so many CIVICTA organizations like Victoria mentioned who are
making this more accessible. In fact, recently Budgets had launched
an AI two called BIMI. And what BIMI does that
BIM makes it easier for you to get access to
budgets and financial if if information. So the same way
you ask chur Gipity or any of the AI agents
(06:48):
about any kind of sorry take two, the same way
you ask Churgipity and any all these other AA agents
about any kind of information. BIM makes that possible for
you to ask about budget information or any other like
financial information from the from the public space. So yeah,
so so that's that's another example of how AA is
(07:09):
doing that. I think as Nigeria also like approaches the
so like the elections is in, there'll be a lot
of like promises and statements that would be going on.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
I think, yeah, it makes it easier for us to
fact check.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
Things right only the time where you had to have
like only dedicated organizations who will be able to fact
check things. I think now if everyone has access to
tools at their fingertips where if someone says something, everyone
can go fort checking. We can all go rid about
it now. Yeah, has organized information for us in a
way that it's easier for us to process it faster
and also like and also understand it's quicker as well.
(07:45):
So yeah, So I think these are some of the
ways amplifying our voices, making it easier for us to
organizing a safe space, also making information as well readily
available to us.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
It's interesting that you mentioned the issue of having a
safe space, but there's still some ethical delimma involving this.
And as someone deeply engaged in governance, what ethical consideration
should guide how young people leverage AI in political mobilization
and cynic engagement.
Speaker 6 (08:13):
Yeah, I think I think we need to lead by
example as as young people. Some many of us young
people have ideologies on how we think Nigeria should should be.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Right, we have fully engaged we're.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
Engaged in the past elections, to be engaged in the
in the coming elections, and also we should be engaged
in it to be in governance as well. I think
that I think that it gives us a unique opportunity
basically to ensure that we're speaking from a place of truths.
When we also do use AI information or things are
(08:46):
generated by AI, I think that we should also credit
it to AIR if these are positive things. I think
also we should also fight fake news. People shouldn't be
sharing content that is generally by AIR that is not
true for propaganda means, you know. So, so I think
as you need to actually like lead by example and
show show positivity. You mentioned like the subnational visioning project
(09:06):
that we're working on. So so in the Rivers twenty
fifty vision projects, we've used AI to imagine the future
in the sense that we looked at all the dramatic
areas that we're working on within the project, fifteen of them,
what would the future of Reversted be.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Like if you think about healthcare or education or you.
Speaker 6 (09:23):
Know security it is and we use AIR to like
imagine images and AIR has imagined what the city could
be like that statistic what hackles and the states in general,
and we're using those things now as advocacy tools to
advocate to say this is what we can be, you know,
like we need to like dream bigger as people. So
I think that's that's an example of one where where
we could use AI as part of policy advocacy as
(09:45):
well as you.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Thank you very much. But let me come to your victoria.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Many young people are interested in politics, but they see
very disconnected from policy making. How can digital skills help
close this gup and increase youth agency government?
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Thank you very much for people for young people that
are interested in politics. I'm just going to start from
the problem that we've had.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
The problem we've generally had is that when.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
We we're very young, when we're in primary or secondary schools,
there was not a very good There was not very
good response to understanding politics for young people, especially the
fact that the curriculum was not very realistic to carry
the depth of how much our politics is. And that
(10:33):
is why now that we've grown older, at tech has
become bigger, he hire is.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Now very much deemplate.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
We need to think of how we can use this
digital tools to help them to understand politics better. One
of the ways is we can have what sapp broats
that will make it very accessible because a very large
number of Nigerian you to use and use WhatsApp, and
we can use it.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
To simplify laws. We can use to see.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Black polices, explain citizens rights and making them more accessible
to disute. Also, we can think of using social media,
which is part of the digital toos short explainer videos
in the ways that young people can understand to help
them to.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Assess this education. Also, the other.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
Things that I would also think about is how we
can have like a height dedicated majority to civic pat
civic education so that we can you can just at
the top of their head, get this information where they
wanted and more so they there's also a very big
divide between those in them in the cities and the
(11:43):
so urban areas than those in the undeserved community. Also,
suits we probably have to do more in getting digital skills,
even though we are very very much active, very much
aware of what these digital skills look like and meant
to have to come into bridge that gapter is history
very much.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Victoria.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I know even mentioned that budget has something that helps
you track the spending.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Are there any AI.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Tools that you've seen in recent times that gives you hope?
Speaker 6 (12:18):
Yeah, I mean I think BMI gives me hope as well.
It's a civic tool that people can can definitely use.
I like that, Vicky, I just mentioned. Now that people
have access to WhatsApp, What's apposed has meta AI that
you can use to ask questions about basic things, and
it has great.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Great coverage. Twitter or ex has grow, you know.
Speaker 6 (12:38):
So I think one of the good things that we're
seen with AA is that it's quite democratized. Almost everybody
has their own platforms, so it's not like one central
person that has to give you all that info, which
I mean news room for a lot of like manipulation
and stuff. Now there's info everywhere, so you can try
very perplexity. There's so many of them out there right
that you can basically use. But I think what I
(13:00):
agree with Victoria own is that I think the role
the government has to play is in ensuring that people
are able to get the skills needed to like navigate
these platforms, because it would only keep getting more complicated,
Like this is the least basic form of that we're
ever going to see, Like over the next few years,
it will be embedded in everything that we do, like
(13:22):
how how we learn, how we travel, how.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
We everything basically, you know.
Speaker 6 (13:27):
So I think that's to ensure that our own like
young people and our own generation is not left behind
and the generation coming after us, right, I think the
government is to think about ways where we can embed
digital skills due to.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Learning and innovation into our curriculum.
Speaker 6 (13:44):
I think we've said this so many times, right, for
so many years, and I'm not sure why there's not
been as much.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
I think there's some action, but it's not just fast enough.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I know.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
The government also launched the three a M City training.
Speaker 6 (13:55):
That the Office of the of the Commissioner of the
of the Minister Sorry usual economy. Yes, so he had
learned that training, and I think that's that's a that's
a sort of like a prototype of what can happen
if you embed that into our schools. So instead of
having like intervention in programs, I think let's have it
as a more structural level. Let's have it in our school.
(14:17):
Let's let's teach it as part of like how we
teach green, white, green U one of the colors of Nigeria.
Let's teach them how people can use a you know,
in our in our primary school a basic education.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
I think that's one way.
Speaker 6 (14:27):
To ensure that our generation can actually catch up, because
what happens now is that you you finish school and
then you have to go build these skills as additional skills,
but if it's added to the school system, I think
is a more like sustainable way to be able to
build a generation that can use technology generally to advance
their causes and make their lives better.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Yeah, thank you very much. Even let me come back
to you. You've let policy dialogs at FIT Foundation. When
I was reading your profile, what trends do you see
in ut interest in public policy? And how can a
I to support many for pasion rather than just being
passive consumers?
Speaker 5 (15:03):
I'm sorry, Can you please repeat the question and friends
take it?
Speaker 2 (15:08):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
So my question to you is what trends do you
see in your interest in public policy? And how can
air to support meaningful participation rather than passive consumption.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Thank you very much. I think like because of the disconnect.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
That we've had between youth and politics and policy in
the verb in the long run that we've had, I
think the trends that I have genuinely noticed is the
fact that a lot of you are as interested as
to how much they can get at.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Hand, and how we explain this in the way that
take two.
Speaker 5 (15:47):
A lot of views are interested in to the extent
of how much information they have at hand. I say
this because we have to do a bigger work in
encouraging you to dig the part we A lot of
you believe on surface.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Level kind of education.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
So if you're not explaining deeply, trying to get them
to see, oh, this is how much public policy affects
your life. This is why you need to be interested.
Apart of people that have picked up interest, I think
like youthes are not there yet. If we're waiting it
on the scale of one two hundred, I would say
tety or thirty to fifty percent.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
But also we also.
Speaker 5 (16:29):
Need to call on order you too have developed this interest,
We already know what public up policy affects every aspect
of their lives.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
To help them explain.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
And I'll give an example when I was in a
discussion where I was in a discussion where I had
to explain to people that who look at the people
on this table.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
A lot of their youthes and they do not know that.
Speaker 5 (16:55):
All they need to do certain things and how they
can easily be involved in politics. And I was telling
I was telling the person by my side that at
the same time, there's also the fact that older people.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
They understand politics, they know it.
Speaker 5 (17:11):
For younger people, it seems like when you are bringing
your voice to the table, let's say, oh, what do
you know? How many years have you spent in injuria
or how many years have you been on head. We
also need to bridge that gap and we need to
have more intergenerational conversations that we encourage more youth to
be introduced and understand public policing. In long run, my
(17:34):
work with LEN Politics have understood that education is the
major thing that has helped us. Education is the major
thing that has helped people to understand, oh, why they
have to vote regardless of whether their choice becomes president
or not. Education is also why we are telling them that,
oh it's not just presidential elections that matter to you.
(17:55):
You have to think of governorship elections. You have to
state of legos, the local government election and all of
those things.
Speaker 4 (18:03):
Because a lot of you just think, oh.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Every four years, we are going to depose to vote
for just presidents. We are not thinking of who their
House of Reps and Members are, who their Senate members
are well, and at least a citizen of Nigeria is
represented by almost up to ten people from local to
federal levels. And we need more youth because we take
about seventy percent of the entire population.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
We need more youth to understand these things. But to
the extent of what you and in terms of trends,
I do not think.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
That you are doing the the power or the bigger
work to actually understand the in depth of public policy
or politics as you may, thank you.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Thank you very much, victorious indeed very critogether. People understand
that there are multiple representative of yours, so I should
not just be at the presidency, but right from your
local level, even from I'll ask you what systemic or
policy reforms do you believe are urgently needed to ensure
that low Nigerian youth is left out of this digital revolution?
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Yeah, yeah, no key.
Speaker 6 (19:11):
I mean I think first like like, just like I mentioned,
the issue of education is key. So I think embedding
digit literacy due to knowledge into our curriculum is very
key and I think it's very urgent. I also think
that one of the things that can hinder us from
from being able to access this digitu revolution generally is.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
That there are two core systemic issues.
Speaker 6 (19:33):
And I did the research in twenty seventeen on systemic
barriers for like digital inclusion in the South and I
went to like six ninited other states to be able
to do that. And I and again this has been
known that it's not like I'm saying anythink that is
near power and internet connection and internet connectivity are very
(19:54):
very key. Again, like I said, they have been strides
over the past year plus by the Ministry of Juice
Economy to ensure that there are more fiber optic cables
being being laid across the across the delta.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
But I think that we can do it a lot more.
They're still a huge disparity.
Speaker 6 (20:12):
A number of those people who are online and those
who are offline, especially in rural Nigeria. So I think
we need to think of power from a more decentralized way.
We're thinking of power now currently from like Ganji Dam
down to the states, but with the electricity at sign
I think when you start state government sub nationals need
to take up the challenge and start thinking about they
can generate power for their own regions. You know, I
(20:35):
think we need to we we those solve power. Then
we can't just start thinking of having our own data
centers because for you to really be able to like
challenge and build indigenerous AI things that will be able
to solve us problems, even like get more data that
we can use to help generative a I think, I
think you need data centers, but let's not go like
you need power first. Let's even fixed power first, because
(20:55):
that's really really key, and then power and then internet connectivity.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
You know. I saw in news recently that the government
of need.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
Arab Emirates got it's most of its citizens, the emerities,
access to giputy as part of their citizenship, and I
find I found it really funny because like, yeah, and
that's that's actually what the world should be thinking of,
right premiumpty as part of the citizenship.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
You know.
Speaker 6 (21:19):
So I think that we need to start thinking of
how we can get access to these platforms as as
as not just as like nice to have, but as
it must have. You know where the world is going now.
These are tools that will be embedded in all our lives.
So I think access to power, I said, digital inclusion
and edge education, access to the Internet and stuff like that.
The start thinking about how in the future build data
(21:41):
centers to ensure that we can have indigenous companies build airsumations.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
That would solve our own problems as the people.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Yeah, thank you very much, even and Victoria, what rules
should platforms like yours and platforms like policy shapers plain
preparing young people to engage not just in elections because
you mentioned that it's that's from the local level to
the federal level, but in everyday.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Decision making process.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
How can these young people engage using digital tools?
Speaker 5 (22:14):
Firstly, like I'm just even going to say, like policy shapers,
I know they have a policy a carton that they
do if annually and you know that you can be
involved in that. That way they can understand how to
still policy make policy recommendations that can be submitted to
(22:35):
the relevant MD for organizations like my name politics. And
we are going to majorly foster political education more. We
currently do this through creating courses for young Nigerians to
be able to understand like different aspects of our politics
from our history to present. Also more digital storytelling and
(22:59):
advocacy for inclusion, like Ebenezer said, inclusion of digital skills
into curriculum, expanding the curriculum and civic education for Nigeria.
And we also create programs and deliver.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
Sort of resources for young.
Speaker 5 (23:15):
Citizens to be able to understand their basic human rights
from We don't have to wait for every election season
before politics can be discussed, and we need to start
in vibility in the minds of young Nigerians that they
can demand accountability from the local government chairpersons, from their
state government chairpersons.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
There's also the fact.
Speaker 5 (23:38):
That Tracker by Budget now tells you how much They
tell you how much the federal location gets to your
local government. And I think that that's one of the
things we need to also teach young people how to
use civic tech tools to help them demand accountability, that
our civic tech tools can also help them to do better,
(24:00):
to become better citizens, to become active citizens. Organized workshop,
even if it's going to be fun things and the
way our SLF for exactle defenses will do and hold
of those things just for them to for information to
get to them at the level of their understanding and
before we know it would be able to create the
depth with desire in our political conversations and in our
(24:22):
roles as active citizens.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Even we had mentioned previously that there's an issue of
a divide between urban and rural center when it comes
to these digital tools. How do we ensure that digital
transformation is not just urban centered but actually reaches the
grassroots youth.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
In our country.
Speaker 6 (24:48):
Yeah, I mean that's a that's a very systemic question.
That's a that's a that's a very systemic question. And
I think again, yeah, I think we need to stop
thinking of central because like when we think of these people,
when I say, oh, you know, the ministry should donate
laptops to people, blah blah blah. But in you know,
thinking away from that kind of intervention, this mindset, I'm
often thinking a lot about what's the systemic way to
(25:09):
solve to solve the problem, thinking beyond just donating laptops
and stuff. Right, I think that governments at that level,
so local governments, as as the Victoria has said, local governments, states,
governments needs to start thinking of how they can actually.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
Solve these problems at the roots.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
And I've mentioned I think one of the things that
we've said consistently had been through the education space.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Right, we need to make sure that we can get.
Speaker 6 (25:31):
More, more more knowledge, more more content into our curriculum
that encourages these kind of skills.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Right, That's that's first.
Speaker 6 (25:42):
I think the second thing could then be I think
private sector organization also need to start thinking of how
they can as part of their corporate social responsibility in
these various communities. Many of them have industries, you know,
depots and stuff in various communities. Right, So if I
want to use the South for example of the Niger
Delta region, but it's all or any of the private
tycle companies that have all of these responsibilities, I think
(26:03):
they can start thinking of how they invest as well
in digital transformation and digital literacy and skills as part
of their SSR. Right, so if they are the ones
ensuring that they're providing platforms for these people in these
communities to get access to the skills, to these tools.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
I think it's a lot for me.
Speaker 6 (26:24):
I feel it's a lot more sustainables just thinking of
how we think put it in the budget line budget.
Don't need one hundred laptops or so so so place,
and then nobody really.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
Checks what happens after that.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
So I think just let's think, let's have a more
systemic and ecosystem like approach to doing that. We just
as we puturious said, we've been doing policy had thims.
I think we also need to encourage innovation as well
beyond just the policy space. I think even in like saying, okay,
would there be a competition this year, for example, with
for the year end, how do we address the challenge
(26:56):
of maybe like budgets, states budgets, you know, much focused
on the federal budgets. How do we get states to
get their budgets online? Can someone view an AI too
that people everywhere across the verial states can use to
analyze information around.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
State projects and advocate for this, you know.
Speaker 6 (27:12):
So, so I think just bringing it down to that local,
subnational level, I think that's the kind of thing that
we need to be able to do that. So yeah,
so yeah, so let's not just think about federal alone.
Let's involve private sectors, just as the NYSG always does,
and let's find ways to bring conversations that also take
us down to the rural level, not just keeping our
conversations as well.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
We didn't just the literates and the ur urban spaces. Yea.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Indeed, the years it does bring together the private sector
governed as is the private sector to see how to
create some of the solution in partnership with the government.
Thank you so much to both of you. I know
we're running a bit of a time. So I would
ask two more questions, and these two questions would be
to each of you to reflect on the two questions.
So the first one would be if we could code
(27:57):
design a national AI for governors, two keys for young people?
Speaker 3 (28:01):
What three futures would you prioritize?
Speaker 2 (28:03):
And why?
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Let me start with dictoria.
Speaker 5 (28:07):
I think one of the first features our prioritize is accessibility.
As much as we talk about you, we also have
you that are live people with disabilities among us. We
need to prioritize accessibility. Number two is simplicity. I found
recently that policy document may be very very hard to
(28:27):
understand if you don't have somebody that is talking to
you about those documents. So number two features are future
I'm going to prioritize the simplicity. And the third future
I'm going to prioritize is accessibility. As I said, but
this time, this time in terms of young people have
(28:48):
been easy access to eat, say for example, what are
bought Like We've said from the beginning of this conversation
that people can just be able to chat, Hey, what
can we what does this recent reform, I mean, what
does this recent policy talk about? And so and they
are able to get those at the tip of their fingers.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
Thank you, Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Victoria, even same question, what three futures would you incorporate?
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Why?
Speaker 6 (29:15):
Yeah, I think I think Vickas has said it's really
really well. I think I also add something that has
to do with our indigenous languages as well. I think
really recently as a conversation about like how much information
people can get in eurobuying, Ebo, in outside, but also
in all the other like minority tribes, the languages of
the minority tribes. So I think, yeah, I think something
(29:36):
that has to do with that indigenous making it accessible indigenously,
making sure that people also, like in our own languages,
not just in the general way that we commuicable, also
in our languages, because that's also a way we can
use to like preserve our history, preserve our culture, preserver history,
and also like preserve it for future generations, because that's
that's also one of the chalities that we're having as
(29:57):
a country.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
Thank you very much to both of you.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
My last question to both of you is, in one
sentence and as a way of your final reflection, what
does responsible digital citizenship mean to you?
Speaker 3 (30:11):
Let's start with.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Even this time. Yeah, no, responsible digital citizenship to me
means that I am one.
Speaker 6 (30:20):
Then there's stuff, but I am every day, you know,
contributing to conversations, efforts, projects that help or contribute to
the kind of country I want to live in, you know,
the country I want to live in as a person
and the country I want to live for my own child.
So that's for me, that's responsible due to citizenship. So
(30:41):
the conversations I engage in, the projects, everything I'm doing,
really the post I make, the comments, I make, the
things I say, everything should reflect.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
And contribute to the kind of country I want to
I want to.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
Live in and live for my child as well. Yeah,
thank you even bitter so.
Speaker 4 (30:59):
For me, thank you Ebnizia for that answer.
Speaker 5 (31:02):
Also, I think one of the things considers responsible citizenship
and digital citizenship would include using critical thinking on the
kind of tends I post, a kind of information I share,
how I protecting my privacy and the privacy of other people,
engaging constructively and also avoiding misinformation, and contributing positively to
(31:26):
the society majority online but also offline.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Thank you very much, Thank you very much, Victoria.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
As aiols become more embedded in our daily life through automation,
data and analytics, and digital platforms. Young people must not
only be users, but also be creators, innovators and ethical
leaders in the space. You've been listening to the ny
as You radio podcast on this day of the World
Youth Skills Day twenty twenty five. Thank you so much
(31:55):
to our distinguished resource person Venizia and Victoria for your time.
Has been an apps look, brilliant conversation with you, and
I'm sure there are so many lessons to pick from
this conversation and implement to make sure that no Nigerian
youth it's left behind even in this digital revolution. So
we'll come again next time. Keep being awesome, Happy word
(32:15):
your Skills Day. Thank you so much to be Nissa,
Thank you so.
Speaker 4 (32:18):
Much, Victoria, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
Thank you, thank you for having bye bye
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.